A couple of nights ago, I was watching the Oscars. I was actually invested this year since Manchester by the Sea was up for a handful nominations, ultimately taking home Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay at the end of the night. I’ve been trying to see the movie since it was released, but it kept selling out everywhere, thanks in large part to the enduring hometown pride of New Englanders. I get it–part of the reason I wanted to see it was because I’ve been living in Manchester-by-the-Sea for over 20 years, and it’s where I’m raising my kids. I finally got to see the movie a couple of days ago, and the familiarity and close proximity of the featured locations was a really cool thing to experience. While it was the personal connection to the location that initially interested me, the storyline was what really drew me in.

The film was incredibly well done in every way, and I came away with a lot of creative inspiration, but I have to think that there was something particularly special about watching the ending in a theatre full of Bay Staters. For those who haven’t seen the movie, the basis of the storyline is that the two main characters, Lee and Patrick, are brought together by an unexpected death in the family. The last scene is this great shot of the two of them on the family boat, reminiscent of the time they spent together when Patrick was younger. The scene is nostalgic and peaceful. It cuts to black, and the credits roll. And then, out of nowhere, a woman in the audience jumps to her feet, and in the thickest Boston accent you have ever heard screams out, “Are you frickin’ kiddin me?? This is how it ends?! You gotta be SHITTIN’ me!!”

Definitely see Manchester by the Sea, and feel free to take a look at some of the images I’ve made of this picturesque North Shore town during the time I’ve lived here. If you’ve seen the movie, you might even recognize some of the locations yourself. I’ve pulled a few of my favorite images below, but you can view the entire collection HERE.

I bought these roses for my wife on Valentines Day. Every day, I walked past them and with each day they were a little closer to dead. I don’t normally take still lifes, but I figured I’d snap a picture of the roses before they were completely gone. I’m not sure why. I guess because I thought they looked nice, and I take pictures of things I like to look at. Or maybe, I did it as a personal challenge–to push myself out of my comfort zone in the sports arena. Whatever the reason, I ended up snapping a few dozen shots. I played around with angles, settings, and editing to see how many ways I could transform the image. Below are three photos of the same bouquet, visualized in three very different ways. Perhaps I’ll print them and hang them on my wall.